Several days into this community quarantine and we see several stories in social media. The sheer disparity of the privileged and marginalized gets highlighted all the more. This virus, though not visible to the naked eye, reveals many things observable. These past few days have been quite a battle. Many clamor for citizens to stay at home, while most, even if they want to, simply cannot. Alarming news, both real and fake get shared at the speed of light. Sometimes I wonder which one spreads faster, the virus or the fake news.
By God’s grace, I am a teacher who is allowed to work from home. And admittedly, the first few days of quarantine left me in denial of the crisis going on. I was well aware of the struggle. My sister, who works in a supermarket chain in the country, was sharing the scenario of people panic buying and panicking. I have friends in the banking industry, who goes to work each day, because the country’s economy is at stake. Then of course, I have friends in the medical field, who in spite of the danger of getting themselves and their families badly affected by the virus, still report for work courageously each day. Then I remember the families of our daily wage earners. No work, no pay. To many of us, this may just be another four-word tagline. But to them, it means a choice between life and death. I wish I am talking about life and death in a figurative sense here, but I’m not. Some people will say why the daily wage earners still go to work, knowing the risk it poses to them and their families. Going to work means earning barely enough for the family to get by, albeit the risk of catching the virus. No work means no pay. No pay means depriving the family of a fighting chance to live. If the choice is between putting something on the table with the risk of the virus, and putting no virus but no food either, they are left with no choice. As the days passed, my heart sank. I came to know of people who walked two hours just to report for work, to punch items in the supermarket that they themselves don’t have the means to purchase. Then there are the street sweepers and the homeless, who were barely getting by before the virus hit us hard. Some of us can earn enough for the rainy days. But these people cannot save up for the rainy days, because every day is a rainy day.
Two days ago, I found myself crying. Looking at the scorched leaves of the plant across the gate of our house made me ask, why have we come to this? I dare not try to explain. Many have given their answers, and it always pales in some way. It seems like there is a sign, “Earth is closed, until further notice.” But the thing is, while many of us can sit around and do nothing, there are unsung heroes who keep on fighting. I remember the days after my dad’s passing back in 2002, our family was in quite a struggle. My widowed mom made ends meet. My aunt accompanied us every weekend to Tutuban Mall in Divisoria to collect money from the sales ladies’ utang from buying packed ulam from our carinderia. At 10 in the evening, we would visit the night market to get hold of a 60 Peso soup or three boxes of rice from Rice in the Box worth Php 39 each for dinner. Then there were also days when we literally had an empty refrigerator. Those were the days when we experienced God’s miraculous provision – the neighbor knocks and gives us a plate of pancit or spaghetti to celebrate lola’s birthday. God’s provision for our tuition fee and every day expenses (thanks to autoload and e-load) also testify to His faithfulness in times of drought. Looking back at how we survived this phase brings tears to my eyes. And yet, this pales in comparison to those who literally have nothing to eat.
Every meal, I can only pray that in this time of crisis, the God who provided for us and carried us through will carry each Filipino family through this ordeal. Every day, I keep myself busy working with moms who teach their little ones, and serving as a bridge to make help available to those who are tirelessly working to make basic necessities available for the nation. Some days, I wish I can do more. But often, I pray that we who are staying home are also doing something. Because after all, we were called to stay home, and not stay home and do nothing.
I dare not explain why all these is happening, because like you, there are more questions than answers on my mind now. But I enjoin you to trust in the Lord. God is in control. He is sovereign. Everything is for His glory. I leave you with a passage I came across last March 8, “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” Habakkuk 3:17-18 The virus of fear and uncertainty creeps in, but God is our constant! Things will be like this until further notice, but God holds the time, and He holds the “until further notice”.
If you would like to help out by staying at home and doing something, reach out and I will connect you to the people who are being God’s instruments of blessing to those in need.
When a Teacher Writes 